Tomczyk wins at the Nürburgring - Ekström retains
championship lead
The battle for the DTM championship title remains exciting:
the eighth DTM season round at the Nürburgring saw Martin
Tomczyk (Audi) claiming his second win of the season and the
third of his career in the most popular international touring
car series. After 43 laps at the 3.629 kilometres long circuit,
the German crossed the finish line as the winner ahead of
Bruno Spengler (Mercedes-Benz). Mattias Ekström, who
had started from tenth place, succeeded in making up seven
positions and finished third. Scot Paul di Resta (Mercedes-Benz)
finished behind Timo Scheider (Audi) and Jamie Green (Mercedes-Benz)
as the best-placed driver with a 2005-spec car in sixth place.
The final point-scoring positions were taken by Bernd Schneider
(Mercedes-Benz) and Tom Kristensen (Audi). In the drivers’
standings, Mattias Ekström is leading with 44 points
from Martin Tomczyk (40 points) and Bruno Spengler (34 points).
With 20 points still at stake, reigning DTM champion Bernd
Schneider still has theoretical chances of a successful title
defence with 27.5 points in fourth place. An extensive press
release with quotes from the drivers and motorsport directors
will follow shortly.
The race in detail
Weather conditions: overcast, dry
Air temperature: 16.5 °C
Asphalt temperature: 20.0 °C
Spectators over the race weekend: 117,000
Start Tomczyk takes the lead, Winkelhock crashes into the
guardrail after being hit by Rockenfeller as Stoddart stalls
Lap 1 Prémat and Paffett tangle. Safety car because
of debris on the track after Winkelhock's accident. Tomczyk
is leading from Scheider, Kristensen, Spengler, Schneider,
Di Resta, Green
Lap 2 Racing resumes. Between second-placed Scheider and third-placed
Kristensen, there is a gap of 1.5 seconds
Lap 3 Kristensen is lapping 0,3 seconds per lap slower than
Tomczyk and Scheider in front of him
Lap 6 Spengler puts the pressure on Kristensen in the battle
for third place. Scheider, Schneider, La Rosa, Häkkinen,
Prémat, Paffett into the pits
Lap 7 Under braking for the first corner Spengler has overtaken
Kristensen and is now third. Kristensen, Di Resta, into the
pits
Lap 8 After the pit stop, Di Resta comes out of the pit lane
in front of Kristensen. Drive through for Mike Rockenfeller
Lap 9 Rockenfeller comes into the pitlane for his penalty
Lap 11 Lauda, Schneider into the pits. For Bernd Schneider,
it is already his second stop
Lap 12 Prémat into the pits, also for his second stop
Lap 13 Paffett into the pits
Lap 14 Scheider, Di Resta and La Rosa also in for their second
pit stops
Lap 15 Timo Scheider rejoins ahead of Bernd Schneider
Lap 16 Kristensen is under investigation by the stewards concerning
the restart after the safety-car intervention. Häkkinen
into the pits
Lap 17 Green into the pits for the first time
Lap 18 Margaritis into the pits. Tomczyk is leading by 4.6
seconds from Spengler, Ekström is third
Lap 19 One lap after his first stop, Margaritis comes in again
for his second stop. Vanina Ickx also in for the first time
Lap 20 Spengler into the pits for his first stop
Lap 21 Race leader Tomczyk also into the pits for his first
stop. Green also into the pits
Lap 22 Tomczyk rejoins well ahead of Spengler
Lap 23 Stoddart attacks Abt for fourth place. Kristensen and
Luhr into the pits. Di Rsta and Green past Schneider as Schneider
is stuck behind Rockenfeller.
Lap 24 Di Resta, Green, Schneider past Rockenfeller. Ekström
and Abt into the pits, both for the first time, Rockenfeller
comes in for his second stop
Lap 25 Warning for Ickx and Rockenfeller for leaving the track
at the NGK-chicane. Ekström past Stoddart at the Coca
Cola-corner
Lap 26 Stoddart into the pits, she is the last to make her
first mandatory pit stop
Lap 27 Mike Rockenfeller is under investigation by the stewards
Lap 28 Kristensen and Schneider battling for eighth place.
Drive through for Stoddart because of crossing the white line
at the pitlane exit
Lap 29 Stoddart into the pits for her penalty
Lap 30 Spengler into the pits for his second stop
Lap 31 Tomczyk also into the pits for the second time
Lap 32 Tomczyk rejoins ahead of Spengler. Lauda, Rockenfeller
into the pits for their second stops
Lap 33 Abt into the pits
Lap 34 Ekström and Ickx come in for their second stop
Lap 35 Ekström rejoins in fifth place behind Scheider
and Green
Lap 36 As all drivers bar Luhr have made two stops, Tomczyk
is leading from Spengler, Scheider, Green, Ekström and
Di Resta. Ekström is attacking Green and overtakes him
for fourth place. Luhr, Stoddart into the pits
Lap 37 Ekström past Scheider, the Swede is now third
Lap 39 Tom Kristensen is right behind seventh-placed Bernd
Schneider
Lap 41 With three laps to go, Tomczyk is leading by 7.2 kilometres
from Spengler. Kristensen keeps attacking Schneider
Lap 43 Final lap. Tomczyk claims his second consecutive win
of the season from Spengler, Ekström, Scheider, Green,
Di Resta, Schneider and Kristensen
|
